Imagine the effectiveness of the following sign at your front door when a would-be intruder reads it: WARNING: This house is protected by a remote monitoring service; if you break in while the homeowner is away, he’ll be instantly alerted and the police will be automatically dispatched. And if you break in while he’s home,…
Cybercriminals know that the best way to get their claws on the next victim is to appeal to their emotions, not logic. There’s lots of scary things in life, and one is learning that your computer has been infected with a virus. If this happens, you’re now vulnerable to spending money on getting rid of…
Gee, if your home is connected to lots of different devices, doesn’t it make sense that your cybersecurity integrates all your connected devices? Meet the Bitdefender BOX, a network bulletproofing hardware cybersecurity tool for the home that embraces smart home protection focusing on the Internet of Things with remote device management offering next generation privacy…
Most people have heard of storing information in “the cloud,” but do you know what this means, and if it is even safe? A cloud is basically a network of servers that offer different functions. Some of these servers allow you to store data while others provide various services. The cloud is made of millions…
This week I worked with Gemalto, as part of Gemalto’s #ChipAwayAtFraud campaign. I was tasked with using my “chip” card when making a bunch of every day purchases like getting coffee and shopping. Gemalto, one of the world’s leaders in digital security, wanted a real-world take on the EMV card experience, which includes the security…
If you want to get an idea of how safe or crime-ridden a town may be, do some casual observing including at night: Are women walking or jogging alone at night? Are people hanging out in the evening having a good time? Are children mysteriously absent on a sunny weekend afternoon? Are there a lot…
Often, hucksters prey on the consumer’s desperation, which is why it’s no surprise that the No. 1 rip-off (at least between 2011 and 2012)) was bogus products promising weight loss. VICE (vice.com) interviewed psychologist Maria Konnikova about how cyber cons are so successful—even with the most ridiculous sounding bait (Nigerian prince, anyone?). The bait becomes…
Scams targeting older people are probably very under-reported, as seniors don’t want to appear senile. The most vulnerable group is educated men over 55, because, quite frankly, they think they know everything. Sweepstakes/Lottery This scam comes in many forms, but the common denominator is that you’re requested to pay a fee or taxes. A legit…
What are you doing to prevent tax identity theft? Do you even know what steps to take? You’d better, because this crime has tripled since 2010, says the FTC. A report on foxbusiness.com describes tax identity theft as the act of stealing someone’s personal information, then the crook files a phony tax return in the…
Between half and three quarters of all employees have downloaded personal apps to company tablets and phones, according to surveys. At the same time, people are increasingly using use personal phones for work purposes like email, document-sharing and the list goes on. What does it all mean? Companies must take extra precautions to ensure that…
